Dawn McKinstry

New Year, New Blog!

2009-01-01T19:35:00.008-05:00

This blog has moved to www.dawnmckinstryblog.com!

Please update your readers and bookmarks to follow us on the new blog and keep reading all our new posts!

Erin & Billy... fun

2008-12-06T21:49:00.012-05:00

As I finished up editing Erin & Billy's engagement session I ran across a few fun images that I had to share. These two have such wonderful personalities, and these few images show a glimps of what I had the privilege of experiencing that afternoon...

This was our last set of shots at the end of the day. And I guess Erin was done and was trying to run away. But Billy wouldn't let her. :)

Earlier, we were near the fort on a small hill. Not only is this hill great for photographers to lay on, it's also the perfect size and slope for small boys to roll down. Here you can see Erin & Billy's reaction to the boys rolling right towards me...

He narrowly missed me, but I'm okay!

I really love this one. Wow!

Wedding Album

2008-11-30T17:11:00.007-05:00

I wanted to post a few spreads from Jodi & James' wedding album that I finished designing this weekend.

Erin & Billy

2008-11-22T20:59:00.012-05:00

I headed out to St. Augustine under comfortably chilly, but clear skies. But by the time I parked it was much cooler and windy at the coast. It seems the only times I'm in St. Augustine I'm either sweating to death, or freezing. Today, I was freezing.

However, Erin and Billy were so much fun that I soon warmed up walking ALL over St. Augustine for their engagement session.

I know that Erin will be checking for some images from the session, so here are just a few of the many favorites that I have so far.

You guys are a beautiful couple...

...and so cute in love.

This spot holds special significance to them. St. Augustine is special since Billy asked Erin to marry him here, but it's also where they went on their first date. This table specifically...

One year

2008-11-14T20:42:00.012-05:00

Sometimes it's hard to believe that a year has gone by already since my wedding. Bill and I were married a year ago in Cedar Key, and we returned to spend a quiet weekend there celebrating.

The first day that we were there, the gulf was as calm as glass. It was really beautiful and somewhat rare (at least for me). Bill wanted desperately to go get the boat and get out on the water, but I just wanted to relax and wouldn't let him. Needless to say, we should have taken advantage of the great weather. When we did go out on the boat later in the weekend, we didn't last too long in the miserable cold and windy conditions.

Here are a few images of Bill that I captured in Cedar Key that I absolutely adore. They capture his personality perfectly.

And of course, and obligatory Honeymoon Cabin shot...

It was a wonderfully relaxing getaway.

Personality

2008-10-05T15:20:00.007-04:00

I'm not quite sure what it is about Lori and Justin's farm. But apparently there's something in the water there, because everyone just oozes personality. People, dogs, horses... everyone is just a blast to be around and really enjoy being in front of the camera.

Interest

2008-10-04T22:28:00.003-04:00

While editing Lori and Justin's engagement session tonight, I ran across this series. I love when some dog's personalities show through, and I thought it was funny when Cole noticed the beeping and clicking of my camera. Please bear with me while I narrate...

"I'm having so much fun playing with my friends..."

"...wait a minute... I hear beeping..."

"...and now there's clicking..."

"...what is that?!?"

Danny's Retirement

2008-09-23T09:22:00.003-04:00

If you are a friend or family member of Danny and would like the information to view this event, please leave a comment or send me an email, and I would be happy to send you the log-in information.

Thanks!

Jodi and James' Wedding

2008-09-15T11:59:00.002-04:00

If you are a friend or family member of Jodi and James, and would like to see their wedding pictures, please email me, or leave a comment below, and I can send you the necessary information to access the site.

Lori & Justin

2008-09-14T21:56:00.012-04:00

Saturday afternoon I wandered out into the thick Florida summer heat to a place where many people were seeking refuge from the extreme weather. Rainbow Springs was the perfect place to escape the 95+ degree weather. Unfortunately, this made our engagement shoot a bit more challenging. I met Lori and Justin there and we braved the heat, humidity, and amazing amount of mosquitoes and had fun shooting their engagement session.

Here are a few of my favorites:

After we left the springs, we went to their ranch for a few more pictures. Their wedding will be held right here at the ranch. I can't wait!

So peaceful:

Their dogs were adorable, and really loved to play. Check out the acceleration Cole gets in the second picture!

Facebook

2008-09-03T12:36:00.000-04:00

Do you Facebook?

If so, add me as a friend...

Surprise

2008-08-27T16:23:00.003-04:00

It's finally done! My surprise from a few weeks ago (that caused oh so much confusion, but was quite funny) can finally be revealed!
Ta da!

My logo is done!

And I love it!

**Edit to add: The logo was designed by Angelina Toomey. She can be reached at toomey13@gmail.com and http://grove.ufl.edu/~toomey13 if you'd like to contact her.**

Fay

2008-08-21T11:36:00.004-04:00

Right now, we're "hunkered down" (news stations favorite term) waiting out Fay. We lost power last night, and as we went out for more supplies the power came back on. Who knows how long we'll have it for though, before it goes out again. It's too bad she's stalled. I wish she'd move on through. We need the rain, but geez Fay.

Anyway, we hope everyone is staying safe out there!

Photo from here

Overlooked moments you treasure...

2008-08-14T19:18:00.008-04:00

I just love this sequence of my Grandma steaming Jodi's dress. She used to own a children's clothing store in New Jersey, and many years later worked in a bridal shop. So she just went to town steaming Jodi's dress as she was getting her make-up done the morning of the wedding. I know that she steamed my dress for my wedding as well. But I never saw her doing it. I'm so glad that I captured these photos of her. I didn't realize how much they meant to me until I saw them all.

Love you Grandma.

This is one of my favorites. I included this one in the slideshow during the reception. When it came up on the screen, my Grandma turned to me and said "How did you get that? I didn't even realize you were taking my picture!"

I'm sneaky like that Grandma.

Hues Salon

2008-08-10T19:53:00.006-04:00

Here are a few more pictures from Jodi's wedding. She had her hair done at Hues Salon in St. Augustine, and I have to say they were great. If you're getting married in St. Augustine and are looking for a salon for an up-do - definitely look them up.

Customer Service

2008-08-07T15:41:00.022-04:00

**This is a long post, but a good lesson. It's worth it, I promise...**

I generally try to make the best out of most situations. I try to "put myself in other people's shoes" and see things from another perspective when bad/unfortunate/disappointing things happen in life. This is one of those things that I often pray God to give me more strength in... patience, perspective.

And honestly, if these following two incidences had not happened in the same day, I probably would not have thought twice about it. But it got me thinking, especially since I think customer service is such an important part of a business, and one that relies so heavily on customer satisfaction and word-of-mouth referrals as photography does.

Shortly prior to Jodi's wedding I realized that a little more memory for my camera would probably be a good investment. So, I hopped on my favorite website and browsed CF cards. Low and behold! There were 4 GB cards for sale that were cheaper than some of the 2GB cards! I immediately ordered 3 (what a deal!) and paid a little extra in shipping to get them here the day before I would have to leave for the wedding. Now I'm sure you can all see what's coming...

Exactly. I didn't end up getting them before the wedding. Big surprise.

But what happened long after the wedding is really what surprises me. Today I left feedback for the four vendors that I ultimately dealt with trying to purchase these cards. Surprisingly my best experience was with the last vendor who I worked back and forth with to receive a (more expensive, but still fairly cheap) 4 GB card. We shared multiple emails back and forth. And honestly, when I received their first email, I was highly disappointed. The email stated that they were out of stock - this was my 3rd vendor that I attempted to get the 4 GB card from. However, in their email they apologized for the inconvenience (it was, a big inconvenience, but hey - they admitted it), and offered me a 20% discount on a "replacement" item. To be honest, that right there stopped me from canceling my order completely. Because really, nothing came close to the deal on the original 4 GB cards. But I figured - "hey, if they're willing to give me a 20% discount, I'll give them a shot. I need more memory anyway."

*sigh*

Ultimately I ended up with a memory card that I am happy with, and at a good price, but was disappointed that I missed out on the awesome deal (that apparently everyone else who has ever been to Amazon purchased before I did). And I wrote my description here... almost exactly... as my feedback on Amazon. I wrote that I was disappointed, but received the item I purchased, and that the customer service was good.

Well, their customer service isn't good. It's great! Of course this vendor saw my feedback, and immediately emailed me. They (again) apologized in this email:

Hello Dawn,

I just saw the feedback left and we understand your disappointment. Customer service is our number one priority, we would like for you to have a good shopping experience with us, therefore have issued a full refund to your credit card.

Thanks for your business, we hope to have improved your experience with us.

Best regards,

I was very surprised, I did not intend to get a refund as a result of my feedback. I received the product as promised by the company, nothing more nothing less. And the feedback that I left was fair and honest (and I left a few stars - I didn't give them a "horrible" rating if you're wondering). To be honest, their dedication to customer service and the resulting refund really improved my image of this seller, and I plan on purchasing from them again because of this experience, which actually began rather negatively.

However, I had a very different experience from another one of the sellers that I left feedback for today. The feedback I left stated that I was disappointed with the service that I had received. I again received an email from this seller, however they asked if I could remove the feedback. I politely replied that I felt that my comment was fair, and reflected my experience, and that as a customer, I would have wanted to hear any similar experiences prior to making a purchase from them (or any seller), especially if I was under a time crunch like I was. They responded in a harsh, accusatory tone, demanding that I remove my comment. This response left me stunned, staring at my computer screen in disbelief. Did this seller really think that their email was going to "earn" my business (much less entice me to remove my comment)?

Customer service is one of the most important facets of business (along with knowing your skill, but really, if you know how to sell CF cards, but do it with a bad attitude, how many repeat sales are you going to make?).

Today was a good reminder for me just how important customer service is. And how a good attitude, and bending over backwards for your customers will go a lot further for you than being angry and rude. And honestly, if these two encounters had not happened in the same day, I probably would have been really grateful for the first vendor, and just written the second one off and not thought about it again (other than being annoyed).

Has anyone else experienced similar situations that just make you sit back and wonder how on earth they're still in business?

Photo from here

The sweet life...

2008-08-03T18:01:00.017-04:00

You don't hear about this kind of dedication very often these days. After 43 years with Publix, Danny Farnham is finally retiring from Publix. Last weekend, Bill and I went down to Lakeland to document Danny's surprise retirement party. It was really heartwarming to see how much everyone cared about him, and how much he'll be missed.

The Publix bakery did a great job on this wonderful cake. Too bad I never got to taste it. I'm sure it was delicious.

Two of Danny's friends and coworkers planned a very elaborate story to get him to the party without knowing what was going on. He had no idea what was going on until he walked up to the building, and he was very surprised.

Other Publix employees made a 3D styrofoam illustration of Danny and his wife (my mom, for those of you who recognize her from Jodi's wedding pictures) on his Harley. It was HUGE!

This next series has a story behind it. Okay, so most of these photos have stories behind them. There were more than a few stories being told that night. But for these next few, Danny is a big fan of Coca Cola. Saying that he drinks a lot of it is putting it mildly. So when he pulled out a Pepsi box, a ripple of exclamations ran through the crowd. Danny doesn't drink Pepsi... under any circumstances.

But he was ordered to open the box...

And sure enough...

It was Coke!

It was a little emotional saying thank you and goodbye. I was a little choked up listening. There was so much admiration in the room.

He got a standing ovation at the end of the night.

Mmmm... cake...

2008-08-01T00:03:00.005-04:00

As I was editing more pictures from Jodi and James' wedding tonight, I ran across these gems.

All I have to say is - Jodi... way to take control, girl... way to take control.

Featured!

2008-07-24T13:11:00.005-04:00

As I checked my email this afternoon I noticed a new message that started:

"Congrats on your wedding!"

Turns out, the email was from Kelly Anderson of Startup Princess website. Startup Princess is an international network for women entrepreneurs to learn and support one another.

I'm listed as their Feature Comment for today, for a comment I left about shooting Jodi and James' wedding! Check it out here. I'm very honored to be featured. And I do feel very relieved that my twin sister's wedding photography went smoothly, since I served as Matron of Honor, photographer, schedule keeper, etc. I hope that it was as beautiful and fun as she had hoped, it sure seemed effortlessly perfect to the rest of us.

Surprise...

2008-07-23T15:05:00.009-04:00

So we've been working on a surprise here at Dawn McKinstry Photography for a while now. With all of the happenings that have been going on lately, it's kinda been pushed to the back burner. But I think we're back up and running now. While I can't tell you what it is yet, I will give you a hint...

(maybe this will help, since I've replaced my really poor drawing with this very scientific diagram - from here: http://www.physics.hku.hk/~nature/CD/regular_e/lectures/chap11.html)

And to those who know what it is... shhh!

Everyone else... want to guess??

**EDIT - No, I'm NOT pregnant!! I've had some strange guesses and a couple of questions. The strangest was the guess that my original drawing was a fertilized egg. (????) Really? Is my drawing THAT bad?** Hopefully this diagram will clear some of that confusion up.

Married!

2008-07-20T16:04:00.016-04:00

My sister was married yesterday in St. Augustine. As I'm posting this her and her husband, James, are sitting in the Jacksonville airport waiting to leave on their relaxing honeymoon. Have fun you two newlyweds. Congratulations!

Here are just a few pictures from the day. As matron of honor, sister of the bride, and photographer, I'm kinda taking it easy today, so this is just a teaser.

My wonderful grandma steaming Jodi's dress...

Look at those green eyes...

My mom helping Jodi with her dress...

And my grandma with the finishing touches...

The dashing groom...

He was very excited to see his glamorous bride.

I also wanted to thank my husband for all of his help. Bill, you went above and beyond. Thank you so much!

Love

2008-07-16T19:49:00.005-04:00

The equipment I ordered for my sister's wedding arrived today. And I must say, I'm in love.

Bill, you are my first love and I love you with all my heart. But Babe, these are running a close second right now.

And who can blame me?

A Day in the Life

2008-07-14T00:34:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago my sister came over for a cookout at our house, and like always, I had my camera out. I snapped this picture of her deep in discussion with Bill while he was grilling. She caught a peek of it, and has been patiently waiting for it since then (sorry for the delay Jodi - here it is, finally).

And of course there was tractor driving, and as always the dogs were running around having a blast looking for rabbits.

The Pines

2008-07-09T00:11:00.001-04:00

On our little vacation Bill and I took the opportunity to marvel at the well managed longleaf pine plantations.

The wall of ...

2008-07-08T20:47:00.004-04:00

On our way back from Georgia last weekend we made a detour or two through some small towns for possible photo opportunities. In one of the towns we encountered this wall next to a furniture store. I'm not sure what it was for. Any ideas?

Happy 4th!

2008-07-05T23:57:00.005-04:00

Yay for vacations!! Bill and I finally got a chance to steal away for a few days this weekend. This was our first vacation together since our honeymoon, and boy was it nice to just get away. We didn't go anywhere far or fancy, but we relaxed and enjoyed ourselves just the same.

Another Album

2008-06-09T22:07:00.002-04:00

I feel like I'm on an album marathon. I just finished Jodi and James' engagement album. Their wedding is getting closer and closer. Jodi's future mother in law threw her a wedding shower this weekend, and it was a lot of fun.
Here's a peak at their engagement album:

Jodi & James

By Dawn McKinstry Ph...

Guestbook

2008-05-30T16:00:00.002-04:00

Lately, during my "free" weekends I've been helping my sister plan her upcoming wedding in St. Augustine. Since I just got married in November, this feels so much more relaxed - since it's not my wedding ;), and all I'm obligated to do is give my opinion and advice here and there (soo much less stressful).

One day we were talking about details that she still needed to do and needed to think about. I brought up that she needed to think about a guestbook for people to sign and provide well-wishes. I mentioned that I could design a photo guestbook for a personalized alternative to the standard store-bought book. I must say, I really like it! Check out the result:

Jodi & James

July 19, 2008

By Dawn McKinstry Ph...

Book Preview

Mom's Day

2008-05-25T20:48:00.005-04:00

Mother's Day weekend, my sister, my mom and I spent the weekend in St. Augustine to help plan a few details of my sister's wedding. We had an amazing lunch at the Columbia and managed to fit in a tour of Flagler too.

Flagler:

My sister and mom:

My first attempt with the timer. Didn't get the focus point quite right.

Much better!

Changes

2008-05-23T19:40:00.009-04:00

I know I haven't blogged in a while. We've had some changes here in the McKinstry household. This week I started a new job here in Gainesville. I'm no longer commuting to Jacksonville every week! Yay! While I miss the friends I have at my old job, I'm really enjoying working in the same city that I live in, and being home every night. Now Bill and I commute to work together every day. So far, it's been working well. And with gas prices increasing like they are, Bill and I have talked about camping out in our offices during the week so that we don't have to commute to and from Gainesville every day. :(

And not to leave you without pictures, here are some pictures of the lilies that have bloomed in our yard today from some of the recent rain that we've had.

Sisters

2008-05-12T18:21:00.007-04:00

Occasionally my sister and I take turns watching each other's dogs when we go out of town or on vacation. We don't really mind because our dogs are sisters and they really enjoy being together, generally. Last weekend Bumble came over for a visit, and she really enjoyed her time in the country.

Relaxation

2008-05-06T20:53:00.003-04:00

A belated Happy Cinco de Mayo to everybody!

Cowboys

2008-05-05T20:05:00.014-04:00

A few weekends ago High Springs hosted the Pioneer Days, complete with old west shoot out.

Light

2008-04-26T19:33:00.005-04:00

A few nights a week Bill and I try to wind down and walk through our property together. The other evening it was just the perfect time for beautiful light.

Dogwoods

2008-04-06T13:24:00.007-04:00

Well, the dogwoods have just dropped all their flowers here at my house. But I love when they bloom every year. It's always a little sad to me to see them go.

Inverness

2008-04-01T18:19:00.004-04:00

When Bill and I went to pick up his tractor a couple months ago we stopped by Brooksville and Inverness and I snagged a few pictures. I just loved how these came out. I don't know why but I really like buildings, places, and old signs that have history (or at least appear to to me).

These are some pretty old hotels here in High Springs. Who's ever heard of the Cadillac Motel, huh?

Ava

2008-03-23T13:00:00.002-04:00

This Easter afternoon I wanted to post a few more pictures of my husband's cousin's baby. I hope everyone is having a Happy Easter!

Trying to figure out the new bathtub:

A tender moment with Mom post-bath.

Ahhh... the bliss of a full tummy

Alachua

2008-03-22T13:32:00.002-04:00

I ran across some pictures from a month or so ago when I was in Alachua with my family. I really liked the feel of the bubblegum machine and the old car that came cruising through town as we were waiting for a table at lunch.

Jodi & James

2008-03-02T16:40:00.011-05:00

This weekend my sister and I drove down to Lakeland for her to pick out a wedding dress. While I can't post those pictures, here are a few of my favorites from the engagement shoot with her and James. These were taken in Lakeland around Lake Mirror. The weather was beautiful and it turned out to be a great afternoon.

Baby Ava

2008-02-28T17:30:00.009-05:00

A few weeks ago Bill and I went down and visited his cousin and his wife and their new baby. She was about two weeks old and is absolutely adorable. But maybe I'm biased, so see for yourself.

New Tractor

2008-02-22T18:44:00.005-05:00

Well... it's new to us at least.

So, it's been my husband's dream to own a tractor. Ever since he worked on his uncle's farm when he was young, he's wanted to own his own tractor. He finally found one. And it's his new toy. He often takes it down the driveway to go get the mail.

In case you wanted to know, it's a 1976 Farmall 140 High Crop.

Family

2008-02-13T20:57:00.008-05:00

Last weekend we got together to celebrate the February birthdays in my family. My mom and her fiance came up from Lakeland to visit my sister and I in the Gainesville area. Out of the six of us, my husband is the only one that isn't born in February. But don't worry. He shares August with the rest of my family (except my uncle, who is the odd-ball in November).

We spent some time in Alachua (and took some engagement pictures of my sister and her fiance James, and tried to get a few of my mom and Danny, but they weren't very willing subjects - keep an eye out for these). And stopped by Lacrosse at the largest live oak in Florida. Bill and I visited it last summer

(http://dawndegraw.blogspot.com/2007/09/really-big-tree.html). Needless to say, this visit was a bit more comfortable, since it wasn't 100+ degrees out.

Here's just a few of my favorites already of the short engagement session with Jodi and James.

They were laughing at me here because earlier in the day, James had said that he felt like he was in Austin Powers where he starts yelling at the models "yes, yes, YES! NO! NO!" So I started doing that here, and they just lost it.

And here's the famous family head tilt. Jodi and I aren't really sure why we do this, but we both do it, and it's usually subconscious. But it's still one of my favorite portraits of the day of her.

Another Year Down

2008-02-08T23:13:00.000-05:00

Well, in about an hour or so, I'll be a year older. And so will my twin sister, and a friend from college, and my high school English teacher. Growing up, I've always had to share my birthday with my sister. So you wouldn't think that I find it so very strange (good strange) that other people close to me also share the same birthday. But I do.

So, Happy Birthday to everyone born on February 9th! And especially Jodi and Kathryn (and Mrs. Langford too).

Model A

2008-02-08T22:40:00.000-05:00

My husband's best friend, Wri, was the best man at our wedding. Over Christmas we visited Wri and his parents in Chiefland. They had their vintage Model A home from being restored for the holidays. I couldn't resist getting a few fun pictures of it and the boys.

Kelly and Steven

2008-02-02T14:10:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, I met Mary Beth in St. Augustine during her engagement shoot with Kelly and Steven. She posted some of her pictures from the session on her blog. It was a very cold and windy day, but Kelly and Steven were troopers and we got some great pictures. Since it was a Sunday, St. Augustine was a little crowded, but Mary Beth found some great places to get pictures.

Wade, Sharon, and Baby Ava

2008-01-18T22:17:00.000-05:00

My husband's cousin and his wife are due to have their baby any day now. We all can't wait to meet Ava!

Here are a few pictures from their recent baby shower.

** EDIT ** Baby Ava is here! She was born Friday evening (Janurary 19th), and Mom and baby are doing well.

Sharon's family really went all out with the decorations. The place looked great!

Maybe it was just me, but I thought that this sign was very ironic considering the celebration of the day.

Mom and Dad to be, Wade and Sharon.

The massive amount of food that was there:

Sharon's niece loved giving Ava a hug, and did this often.
Food prep in the kitchen

There were lots of gifts. Ava's going to be one well dressed little girl.

Bill, taking a break from the festivities to tell a story or two outside with the guys.

Sharon's nephew was too cute and got a piggyback ride from Dad at one point.

Not 100% sure about this one... Although I'm getting a "I've got my eye on you" from Meet the Parents.

This was one of the cutest gifts. One of Sharon's relatives made her this poncho, but also made one for Ava, and even sent a teddy bear that had it's own matching pink poncho too!

Baby Nate

2008-01-16T19:24:00.000-05:00

One week ago I had the pleasure of photographing Tonya's grandson. He was so well behaved! Even though he wasn't feeling well, he only cried once. Even as the temperature dropped he didn't get fussy. What a trooper!

Here are just a few of my favorites from the day.

More Wedding Pics

2008-01-07T19:01:00.001-05:00

In addition to the cake, they had the traditional Greek dessert baklava.

I like this candid shot of Mary Beth's husband hanging out and taking in the party.

Mike and Nicki's Wedding

2008-01-05T18:06:00.000-05:00

Last weekend I assisted Mary Beth Tyson with a wedding in Tarpon Springs. Here are a few of the pictures I took while helping out.

Here are a few of the beautiful church that the ceremony was held in.

One of my favorites:

Stay tuned for more!

Family

2007-12-05T18:04:00.000-05:00

Just when we're done counting our blessings from Thanksgiving, something manages to go and remind us again of just how much those special things in our lives mean to us. Family.

As I was contemplating starting my Christmas list and thinking about all of the things I need to do around the house now that I'm home for more than 24 hours, I got a call from my mom. Her first words were, "Dawn, you might want to sit down." Ironically this call came 12 hours after she called Friday morning and left messages on all of my phones saying that she was trying to get a hold of me that she had something to tell me. I first thought the worst from these calls, thinking something had happened to one of my grandparents. I was wrong though. Her calls that morning were for good news. Her boyfriend Danny had asked her to marry him, and they were getting married! Congrats Mom!

Her call later that evening was what I had initially feared earlier in the day. My grandmother had been rushed to the hospital. My sister and I drove down to Lakeland the next day, as my uncle flew down from Boston. We all converged on her small hospital room, giving our love and support. But most importantly, trying to understand what happened, and make sure that she is okay in the future.

After a few days in the hospital, she is home now. My sister drove her home last night. I wish that I could be there with everyone, but I don't have quite the flexibility at my job that Jodi does.

Ultimately, I'm thankful for my grandma being home from the hospital, and for the help that they are now getting.

I love you Grandma! Take it easy from now on please.

My Wedding Slideshow

2007-12-02T10:30:00.000-05:00

Mary Beth Tyson just finished my wedding slideshow last night and I just had to share it with you all! I love it!

Enjoy!

www.marybethtyson.com/Slideshows/McKinstry

Giving Thanks

2007-11-22T11:23:00.000-05:00

As we're all with our respective families, eating and visiting, I hope that everyone has time to visit their loved ones and relax.

At the moment, I'm at Bill's aunt and uncle's house, visiting and laughing at all of the hilarious stories. In a few hours I'll be hitting the road again to head to my Grandma's house to visit with my grandparents, mom, and sister. Then I'll be driving back. I need to buy stock in oil. I can't wait to see my family again and share my honeymoon pictures with them.

Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy the holiday with your family.

I'll leave you with a picture of our "baby."

My Wedding Photos

2007-11-19T07:08:00.000-05:00

Mary Beth Tyson just got done with a few of the pictures from my wedding, check out her blog to see them all. But here are a few of my favorites!

New Blog

2007-11-17T15:33:00.001-05:00

This blog is meant to be an extension of my old blog (dawndegraw.blogspot.com), and to take over where it leaves off. After my recent wedding, and (upcoming) name change, I decided to change my blog over too.

Enjoy!

Jamaica

2007-11-17T15:13:00.000-05:00

On our honeymoon, Bill and I visited Jamaica. I've been on a few Eco-Tours in college, and this was a very different experience. We stayed at an all inclusive resort and were completely pampered by the time we left. We loved it!